


Lavender Pearl's Hallway Audio Diary

by orphan_account



Category: Steven Universe (Cartoon)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-10-17
Updated: 2019-10-17
Packaged: 2020-12-22 00:33:27
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 778
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21065879
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: Lavender Pearl has an off day and an encounter with a strange gem. This work is short and more of a developmental idea than an action-filled story.





	Lavender Pearl's Hallway Audio Diary

Lavender Pearl stood at her post cheerfully, guarding a room that she had never been informed about. The only information she was able to gather about what she was guarding was that it was mainly occupied by quartz soldiers, and gems were only permitted inside if they were able to present her with the current code. There were usually two or three active codes at any given time that signified different things, but it was never her job to tell what gems were supposed to be doing. In fact, this position was outside of her normal job description. She was an entertaining pearl more than she was a pearl for this sort of task, but she found it to be easy enough. 

There were very few gems entering the room today, and for the first time in a while, Lavender found herself thinking she was bored. She buried that idea as soon as it emerged, knowing it was untrue. Pearls didn't get 'bored'. However, as she saw a cloaked lapis lazuli walk down the hall with determination, she couldn't help but imagine herself joining her. The lapis stopped directly in front of her, and Lavender realized she was waiting to enter the room. "Password?" she said, the one word she usually spoke without being addressed.  
The lazuli hesitated, the hood of her cloak falling over her eyes. "Um...Lapis."

Surely this gem was joking. The codes were usually numeric and were seemingly unrelated to the gem type that was entering the room. Of course, it wasn't her place to be suspicious. She entered the code, and to her surprise, it worked. Before she could even tell the lazuli she was permitted, she was already inside. The door closed as quickly as it opened. Lavender sighed; the lapis was as rude as the oafish quartz soldiers that she normally dealt with. She certainly would prefer if more polite gems found their way into that area. At the very least, she would like to be acknowledged. 

She caught herself thinking about what she wanted again and stopped immediately. For the good of the perfect empire the diamonds created, she couldn't be acknowledged. Other gems had more important things to do than talk to her, especially gems at the status of that lazuli. She sighed, relaxing her posture slightly. The silence was becoming unbearable. She finally pressed her head against the door, hoping the sounds of productive gems would remind her of what she truly wanted the empire to be. 

The door opened, causing her head to slip. Any elegance that she normally maintained was broken as she composed herself. Her first emotion after regaining her proper stance was panic; the lapis was facing her directly, followed by a few off-color quartz soldiers. To the pearl's surprise, the lazuli began laughing tonelessly. She waited until the door closed behind her and her group to speak. "Curious? You're welcome to come with us."

Her voice was fairly steady, but Lavender could tell she was afraid of something. These gems were an extremely suspicious group. She could report them, but it wasn't her job to do so. "I'm sorry, I shouldn't," she managed to respond.

It wasn't that she was unable to leave. It wasn't that she didn't want to leave. The only thing currently keeping her in line was her own faith in the empire. The lazuli lowered her voice. "Alright, but if you change your mind, I'll only be a few moons to the east."

There was a moment where both gems faced each other in silence, but Lavender Pearl eventually allowed the rogue gems to pass by her. As much as she hated gems like her, the feeling of being addressed and treated equally by a higher ranking gem made her wonder about the quality of her own life again. As the gems grew more distant, she became dizzy with a rush of existential thoughts. However, she quickly decided she had thought enough about herself. After all, there was another quartz approaching her.

She addressed her in the same manner she would any other gem, asking for the password. When she gave it, she was allowed inside as any other gem would be. It only took a few busy minutes before Lavender Pearl was completely back to her normal self. Her imagination was under control, her curiosity was nonexistent, and her pose was perfect. Although she initially thought of the memory fondly, she gradually forced it to fade as if it was as ridiculous as one of her ideas for her own freedom. She was reassured in her place in the empire, and she was proud to have unwavering loyalty.


End file.
